"Now, now, Bonnie. Is this anyway to treat a guest?" Ellesia remarked as she slid around Bonnie's defensive stance. Ellesia immediately swept her eyes over the room looking for clues.
Kol, Klaus and Edie remained huddled in the small wet closet in the back of the apartment.
"Alright, oh chivalrous brother, time to come up with another brilliant plan," Klaus seethed whilst giving a panicky stare through the crack in the door. Ellesia and Bonnie seemed to just be chatting and unaware that they were hiding. But Klaus knew that would be short-lived.
"Come, come now. A young witch like yourself has no need for them."
"I could say the same about an old hag. Especially an old hag who should be on the other side."
"Oh, now, Bonnie. That hurts my feelings. You and I both know that things on the other side are ever so dreary. You can't blame a girl for striking a deal with a devil or two in order to leave."
Edie's ears perked at the mention of the deal and Bonnie too was intrigued.
"What deal did you strike in order to forever estrange yourself from the prestigious covens of New Orleans?"
Kol pulled at Edie's sleeve to alert her of his escape route, but Edie pushed his hand away. She had to know what was in it for this walking corpse. Klaus made a quick movement that distracted Edie just enough to miss all of what she said before being forcibly removed from the wet closet and subsequently racing through the backwoods of Virginia.
"Shame your guests couldn't stay Bonnie," just then Ellesia made a move to inhibit Bonnie from alerting anyone. However, she was too late.
Damon and Allaric quickly attacked the seemingly weak witch and Ellesia, too, fled the house. Afterall, she needed to get on the next train to New Orleans.
Klaus stopped their trek mid-way in order to get some "food." Kol stayed back with Edie. She silenced his furtive apologies with soft tug of his torso, pulling him into her embrace. Edie could never hate this vampire. No matter how brainwashed she once was, knowing him now, seeing him before her... She would never be able to hate him or his family. Always and forever.
Klaus returned to break up their happy reunion. He was informed that Ellesia has left Virginia so it is only a matter of time before she shows up. He looked to Edie as if to hope she had some sort of idea how to defeat her.
Edie just returned his gaze with a look of sadness.
Back in New Orleans, Marcel and Elijah were just preparing for the worst. A dead witch backed by Dhalia and Esther was definitely a force to never trifle with. Hayley was making preparations for Hope and preparing for what could ultimately be her last moments with her daughter.
Rebekah walked past Hayley's room to see how distraught the young mother looked. She could see Hayley, the once strong wolf pack alpha, crumbling. She hurriedly rushed to the kitchen a put a hand over Elijah's.
"I can assure you that everything will work out without the slightest hiccup, so long as-"
"It's Hayley. She needs you. Whether she admits it or not," Rebekah replied while slowly crossing the room towards Marcel. Elijah gave a small smile to his beloved sister before taking long strides towards Hayley's room.
He came in just as she was finishing a letter. He didn't need to know what she was thinking. All he knew was that she was frightened.
"We've faced far worse and come through only slightly scathed," he tried to remind her.
"But you didn't promise your daughter that after all her family flirted with death once that form then on they would never face such a tragedy. Yet here we are!"
Elijah pulled his woman in close and rested her head on his shoulder with a gentle hand. He wanted to reassure her that all would be well, but he didn't know how. More accurately, he didn't know how the events to transpire would end.
All Elijah could do in this moment is comfort one of the few people he couldn't live without and listen to her heartbeat slow with each stroke of his hand. With a sigh, Hayley pulled out the safety of his embrace.
"Let's join the others."
"Hayley, you are not expected to put yourself in peril. You have so much more to live for. This battle is something my family has been fighting for too long to expect anyone to join willingly."
"That's where you are wrong, Elijah. Your family is my family... Besides, someone needs to watch your back."
Elijah couldn't help the grin that spread across his face when she said 'my family.'
As Elijah and Hayley approached the dining room, three figures appeared before them. Kol and Klaus had Edie sandwiched between them. Before anyone could speak, Edie was sent flying into a nearby wall. Kol apparated to her and held her close to his chest.
"Move away, Kol. I won't warn you again," Freya warned with her hand poised, ready to unleash her full power.
"Now, now, dear sister. The little ol' witch has been through quite the journey to save us, so best just keep your powers and emotions in check," Klaus appeased.
Elijah studied Edie in Kol's arms. He remembers this once before. In their initial encounter, she had the same look. Like she knew the end game and she was just biding time. He couldn't place it. But staring down at her in his younger brother's embrace made him want to trust her against his better judgment.
"So, tell me, brother. Why are we not letting our eldest sister blast this witch back to other side? It can't be that you suddenly care for our younger brother's feelings?"
Hayley tugged at his sleeve to warn him to stop his persistence. He wanted to push the tension just a bit more. Someone was hiding something. And that someone was currently between a wall and a soon-to-be-rogue vampire.
"Well, dear brother, we have, as always, another threat against our lives sent from mother dearest and our beloved aunt."
"And let me guess. You have excused her past crimes because of this threat. Or better, she told you that killing our older brother was not her, but our mother and aunt's bidding?"
"Now, now, oh virtuous Elijah! Let's stop pressing an old wound. I believe our dear sisters are still processing."
"Enough, both of you!" Rebekah interjected, "so, what is this about about another threat?"
"Thank you, dear sister for seeing some sense," Klaus smirked but Elijah was not done. He needed one piece of information.
"Hold on, why don't you stand up Edith Anne? Seeing you cowering in a corner makes me feel like a true villain," Elijah extended a hand towards the crouching girl. Kol quickly interjected putting his broad shoulder between them, but Edie looked into his eyes and nodded.
Elijah unnoticeably winked to his eldest sister. Before Keelin could stop her, Elijah grabbed tightly onto Edith's wrist and then held onto Freya's hand.
Before Edie could blink, she was suddenly in a chambre de chasse. She spun around to see Elijah and Freya sitting on a couch opposite her.
"When did you make this?"
"Why did you kill Finn?"
"Why are you wasting time? Ellesia will be here soon!"
"Why did you kill Finn?"
Edie let out a sigh and sat across form them. She didn't want to reveal too much to them. But staring into Elijah's eyes she could tell that he was anticipating her silence. He knew. Or at least, he knew that she knew something.
"I didn't kill Finn. The Finn you saw was a rabid carbon copy that your mother and aunt made to create a nexus fortis in order to bring them back. Why would they do that? Well, the other side can only take so many souls. The ancestors have become grim reapers, getting rid of those who spend too long in purgatory, so to speak."
"There's more," Elijah was looking at the woman who sat now comfortably in the seat before him. He glanced over to his sister who seemed to still be processing the idea that her favorite brother was never truly back, and to make matters worse, a pawn. He gave her a reassuring squeeze before she disappeared.
When Freya rejoined the others, she met the glaring eyes with not only Klaus, but also Keelin. Keelin quickly left the mansion as soon as Freya stood, however, when Freya tried to chase after her. Kol threw her into the opposite wall.
"Kol!" Rebekah reprimanded. Before Rebekah could scold him further, Freya put a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"He has every right to be angry. Leave him be."
While Freya's admittance did not acquiesce his anger, he was able to quell any further punishment he wished to bestow.
Meanwhile, Elijah and Edie remained in silence.
"So, we don't leave until you hear me say something, is that it?"
"Specifically, the something your hiding. I have seen this look before. It is when you have some sort of plan concocted. Unlike our previous escapade, I would like to be a slight bit more informed than prior."
Elijah crossed his legs and rested his elbows on the back of the couch behind him. His look of ease looked very unnatural. Edie cocked her head to the side. Something was off.
"Elijah, I know you're scared, so please stop pretending you aren't. I can leave this chambre de chasse whenever I want. I found the weak point as Freya left."
Elijah sighed and then brought his hands together in front of him and bent his head down.
"I need you to tell me what you're planning because I need to know how to console my brother after you go through with your scheme. The last time you left, Kol was devastated. Granted I didn't realize how much at the time. It wasn't until you returned that I realized. The look in his eyes... It's indescribable. But I know. I know that is what he looks like when he is truly happy."
Edie took a deep breath.
"I know why I lost my voice. I think I always knew. But now I know what it means I must do."
• • •
Only 2 more chapters left!
They will both be uploaded next week. I am so sorry for the longer than planned hiatus. I have been swamped with university.
Also, I was so sad to see the Originals end . It felt like I lost a little bit of something. Let me know what y'all's thought too!
See you next week~